Pet
by taralkariel
Summary: The Emperor reflects on how he was able to ensnare Anakin, and hopes to repeat the process with his son. ObiWan watches his former apprentice fall, and laments how he did nothing.
1. Go Back to Sleep

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Storyline is George Lucas, obviously. Song is from A Perfect Circle. Enjoy._  
_

_Don't fret, precious, I'm here,  
Step away from the window  
And go back to sleep_

I smiled. My apprentice was becoming more _mine_ every day. Even now, twenty years after I had originally enslaved him, he still served me as well as he could. Which was, I might add, very well indeed. The discovery of his son disturbed him to some degree, but I believe he will remain loyal. When the boy escaped, with the help of his "friends," my apprentice was bothered. He stood at the window, watching where the ship had disappeared. Pathetic gesture! He should have immediately shown his displeasure to who ever stood nearest him. Oh well. I merely told him to meditate. I had always told him this. He listened to me better when he meditated than when he allowed himself to be swayed by emotion.

_Lay your head down, child  
I won't let the boogeymen come  
Count their bodies like sheep  
To the rhythm of the war drums  
Pay no mind to the rabble  
Pay no mind to the rabble  
Head down, go to sleep  
To the rhythm of the war drums_

He had always had an interest in politics, possibly due to his wife. Fortunately, I was able to influence him early. Now, of course, he was vexed by the rebellion, as he had always been. He tried his best to quell it, but sometimes I had to calm him down. They will be ours in time, I had told him. Patience. They cannot stand against us long.

_Pay no mind what other voices say  
They don't care about you, like I do  
Safe from pain, and truth, and choice,  
And other poison devils,  
See, they don't give a fuck about you, like I do._

When he was younger, it was harder to influence him. His master and his wife had presented competition for me. I was able to turn him against both of them. I promised to protect him, and to help him protect his wife. I knew that she would die, and her child would be the cause, but he did not see this. He feared how his Master was involved. This subconscious jealousy for his master was easily brought to life, when he believed it was for good. Good! Foolish boy. He does not possess such worthless thoughts now, I am certain. So, with the promise to protect him from everything, he has remained loyal.

_Just stay with me, safe and ignorant,  
Go, back to sleep, go, back to sleep_

After facing his master on the volcanic planet, my apprentice was broken. He had killed his wife and been horribly scarred. I could understand the latter of those problems. The knowledge that he had killed the one he loved sealed him to me forever. He knew, or felt, that he could not trust himself with anything precious. I wanted him to destroy, and he was very good at that. So, he was content to serve my every whim.

_Lay your head down, child  
I won't let the boogeymen come  
Count their bodies like sheep  
To the rhythm of the war drums  
Pay no mind to the rabble  
Pay no mind to the rabble  
Head down, go to sleep  
To the rhythm of the war drums_

After the destruction of the first Death Star, my apprentice was troubled by the disturbance in the Force. I knew what it was: his son. I did not at first tell him this. I informed him that perhaps the Rebellion was being favored for a while. We would prevail, of course. They were a reckless rabble, and we were the Empire. And, of course, I had HIM. I told him this, and he was pleased. Always the arrogant one.

_I'll be the one to protect you from  
Your enemies and all your demons  
I'll be the one to protect you from  
A will to survive and a voice of reason  
I'll be the one to protect you from  
Your enemies and your choices, son  
They're one and the same  
I must isolate you,  
Isolate and save you from yourself_

Despite his bravado, I was aware that he had been disturbed by the reemergence of his former master. I am pleased that this master is no more. My apprentice destroyed him, his enemy of many years. When he discovered that his former master had hidden his son from him, he was very upset. He, of course, turned to me. I promised, as I always had, to keep from him what was painful to remember. The destruction of his "enemies" brought him ever closer to me. When he had freed all the slaves on his home planet, he discovered that they hated him. They are all dead now, of course. I told him, in a subtle way, that all must despise him, for he had power and they did not. He did not realize that destroying all those who had been allies further consigned him to his fate at my side. But I must keep him to myself completely, or I shall lose him. I fear his son.

_Swayin' to the rhythm of the new world order  
And counting bodies like sheep  
To the rhythm of the war drums  
The boogeymen are coming  
The boogeymen are coming  
Keep your head down, go to sleep  
To the rhythm of the war drums_

The Rebellion is coming. I am on the second Death Star, greater than the first. But she will not crush the rebels. Only my apprentice and I can do that. Everything will change shortly. Vader is weak, I fear. So am I. Soon, our fates will be decided. The son of Skywalker will join us. If he does not, we will destroy all that is powerful of the opposition. If he should turn, it will not be long before he kills one of us. It will be Vader, I am certain. Then, I shall secure my position as Emperor! And I shall have a powerful apprentice.

_Stay with me, safe and ignorant  
Just stay with me  
I'll hold you and protect you  
From the other ones,  
The evil ones don't love you, son,  
Go back to sleep._

I feel that Vader's thoughts are troubled. He has felt his son, when I have not. Of course, the relationship between them is strong, but I fear how this shall end. I wonder why I told Vader of his son. Perhaps I should have kept it from him, and kept him completely mine. However, I am certain he would have discovered my treachery eventually. I cannot test the boy's loyalty twice in this manner. I doubt it will withstand a second time. I can only convince him of his son's hatred. I shall lose both of them otherwise. I knew the day would come where one of us would be destroyed. But I did not expect it would be by each other. I shall retain my apprentice until the end, I believe. His son _must_ give into the hatred that he feels. Then, he shall fall, as his father did. And I will use him to destroy all that oppose us. Including my former apprentice.


	2. Wake Up

**Passive**

"_Dead as dead can be" the doctor tells me  
But I just can't believe him  
Ever the optimistic one  
I'm sure of you're ability  
To become my perfect enemy_

Obi-Wan stood, his arms crossed, as he watched the medical droid approach. "For reasons we can't understand, we're losing her," the droid said. "She's dying?" he demanded. He looked at the woman, his friend, laid out on the table. This could not be. He knew that his former apprentice was volatile, and had become a great threat. But, surely, he had not fallen so far as to kill his own wife! He had condemned himself in the eyes of all who knew him for her sake, how could he have turned on her? Obi-Wan shook his head. It was very good that the apprentice Sith had been destroyed, even if the master had not. He would have been a very powerful foe.

_Wake up, and face me  
Don't play dead because maybe  
Someday I will walk away  
And say "you disappoint me"  
Maybe you're better off this way_

Obi-Wan reflected on the boy's apprenticeship. He had been near unmanageable throughout. He was consumed by illusions in his head, put there by everyone's insistence that he was the Chosen One. Always, Obi-Wan had been pulling his head out of the clouds, to focus on the here and now. He remembered many times that he had threatened, only half in jest, that he might leave his apprentice to a more patient master. Perhaps that would have been best. Perhaps the young man would not have given in to his jealousy and insecurity. He may not have turned; he may have served the noble Jedi order instead of the cruel, selfish Sith emperor. Maybe I should have let him go, Obi-Wan thought. Maybe I would not have had to kill him. Or bury his wife and watch his son grow up amongst strangers.

_Leaning over you here,  
Cold and catatonic  
I catch a brief reflection  
Of what you could and might have been  
It's your right and your ability  
To become my perfect enemy_

How pathetic the young man had looked, as he lay dangerously near the lava. "I hate you!" he had screamed. Only those who have no power scream this at their opponents. It made Obi-Wan sick to think about what he had done to his friend. He remembered his reply: "You were the Chosen One!" Were… he was no longer. He had become a cruel and unfeeling Sith lord, loyal only to the dark one who had fed him those lies. He believed that the Jedi were evil, and so he had to be destroyed. The Republic was gone, turned into an unjust Empire. Why? Well, certainly, Palpatine was to blame for that. He had orchestrated the downfall of a great Republic, only so that _he_ might have power. But he could have been destroyed, if Anakin had remained loyal. Anakin had been their only hope. Instead, he had sided with their enemy! He had deserted. No, worse than deserted, he had turned traitor and killed every last one of his people. He deserved his fate, Obi-Wan thought, with a vehemence that frightened him.

_Wake up, we'll catch you  
And face me, come on now  
Don't play dead,  
Because maybe  
Someday I will walk away  
And say "you disappoint me"  
Maybe you're better off this way_

Try as he might, Obi-Wan had been unable to help his apprentice. The young man was too easily influenced by his friend. Why, then, did he no longer listen to his master? He didn't know. There was nothing he had done to make himself hated. So, he had accepted Yoda's order, not without hesitation, and gone to kill his former friend. His brother. Still, he had hoped that he may somehow be able to help him. If he would only realize the lies by which he was poisoned… but he would not even listen to his wife's pleas on the matter. He was controlled by Palpatine, who could not be destroyed. Who hadn't been destroyed, Obi-Wan amended. He needed to be defeated, before he could influence another poor soul, and make enemies off all who had cared for him. It was better that Anakin was free, now, Obi-Wan thought. He is dead, so therefore is free from the power of his former master. Both of his former masters, Obi-Wan added sadly. He did not realize his error in both respects.

_Maybe you're better off this way  
You're better of this; you're better off this;  
Maybe you're better off!  
_

ALIVE? Vader had survived his encounter with lava? This could not be, Obi-Wan thought. I have failed again. Only minutes ago, they had received word that a horrifying creature, clothed only in black, had taken his place at his master's side. Darth Vader, soon to be terror of the galaxy. Well, he had wanted power, and now he had it. He freed the slaves, but they were killed for their fear of him. It was only after this that he learned how much power fear could be. Obi-wan watched his apprentice journey farther down the path from which he could not return. He could not be redeemed, no matter how great a task he might do for good. The horrifying monster who had once been Anakin Skywalker did far worse than kill younglings. Entire planets were destroyed at his hands. Obi-Wan knew that the boy, Luke, could not know of his father. He needed something to fight for, and the memory of a slain Jedi was perfect. Had he known who his father really was… it would be disastrous. It was better that both father and son were ignorant of the other's presence. But how long could it stay that way?

_Wake up, why can't you?  
And face me, come on now  
Don't play dead  
Because maybe  
Someday I will walk away  
And say "you fucking disappoint me!"  
Maybe you're better off this way_

Obi-Wan walked down the ramp of the Millennium Falcon. He would see his former apprentice again. He knew that, even now, Vader could feel his presence. It was dangerous for him to be here, dangerous to Luke. But that mattered little; the boy would survive. Obi-Wan did not know if they both would, however. It was time, at last, to face his former apprentice. Many years had gone by. Obi-Wan felt old, and a small part of him feared meeting an apprentice who could not but be stronger. He had long since given up hope of the man's salvation. Anakin had gotten what he wanted, regardless of how he had done it. He would remain blind to all that his master did not wish him to see. Including his son. Obi-Wan hoped only to keep their secret weapon secret a little longer.

_Go ahead and play dead  
I know that you can hear me  
Go ahead and play dead  
Why can't you turn and face me?  
Why can't you turn and face me?  
You fucking disappoint me!_

Obi-Wan stood before his former apprentice, a small part of him sad to hear the sounds each painful breath made. He quickly rebelled against this sympathy. He had killed younglings, caring nothing for the screams and gasps of all those he had killed in these twenty years. He didn't care if Vader remained under the control of the Emperor. He had chosen that path with his eyes open. He could turn now, if he chose. But he did not. He would rather kill, even while his unknown son watched in horror.


End file.
